The Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition sponsors BCFN YES! (Young Earth Solutions) as an international competition for young researchers on the theme of sustainable food systems. The program offers one-year research grants up to €20 thousand to PhD and postdoc researchers worldwide from any background and nationality. The maximum age is 35. Subject areas include climate change, resilient agriculture, sustainable water management, ecosystem services, food policy, and many others. The competition encourages the participation of teams from different disciplines and countries who wish to combine their expertise in innovative approaches. The deadline for proposals is 28 June 2017. Link
agriculture
Sustainia100 — Sustainable Solutions, 2017 Edition
Sustainia100 is an annual guide to 100 innovative sustainable solutions from around the world in sectors that include energy, resources, and food and agriculture — among others. Sustainia100 invites innovative solutions that present readily available projects, initiatives, and technologies at the forefront of sustainable transformation. The finalists receive publicity online, at the awards ceremony, and in a published guide. (The deadline for submissions is not available.) Link
World Bank — WeMENA Supporting Women Social Entrepreneurs
WeMENA announces a challenge to help women advance solutions across eight cities in the Middle East and North Africa to build resilience to climate change. The cities are Alexandria, Amman, Beirut, Byblos, Cairo, Casablanca, Ramallah, and Tunis. The challenge categories include agriculture and food security; sustainable energy and the environment; water and sanitation; and several others. Participants in the challenge will receive business training, mentoring, and the chance to compete for a share of US$150 thousand in cash awards. The competition is open to women participating as individuals, as teams, or on behalf of a legal entity. The deadline for submissions is 17 January 2017. Link
World Academy of Sciences — Sustainability Case Studies
In partnership with the Elsevier Foundation, TWAS calls for case studies which present issues and challenges for sustainable development through real-life situations. The contest is open to current TWAS and OWSD PhD Fellowship recipients. The categories are green and sustainable chemistry; energy; agriculture and food security; water and sanitation; science education and the workforce; and climate change and disaster and risk reduction. The winner in each category will be awarded US$1 thousand. The deadline for submissions is 01 February 2017. Link
European Commission — Agricultural Strengthening in South Sudan
The EC announces funding to improve food security and income in South Sudan, focusing on sustainable supply of agriculture and livestock inputs and services through the private sector. This call for proposals is part of the first and second component of the ZEAT-BEAD Program (“Zonal Effort for Agricultural Transformation – Bahal Gazar Effort for Agricultural Development”). Grants up to a maximum of €3 million will be allocated in four lots according to geographical regions. The lead applicant should be a nonprofit NGO based in the EU, the European Economic Area, an ACP State, a least-developed country, or a member country of OECD/DAC. Participation with co-applicants of South Sudanese nationality is strongly encouraged. Reference EuropeAid/153933/DD/ACT/SS. The deadline for concept notes is 16 February 2017. Link
European Commission — Improved Nutrition in Lao PDR
The EC will make grants to improve food and nutrition security among rural households and create sustainable agricultural wealth at the village and household level in Laos. Actions include attention to improved plant-based and animal-based agriculture, safe local water supply, and others. The lead applicant should be a nonprofit organization in the EU or in one of the eligible countries of the DCI Regulation (i.e., EU pre-accession countries, countries of the European Economic Area, and many developing countries and territories). Grants will be allocated geographically up to a maximum of 10 million euros per consortium for certain regions. Reference EuropeAid/153320/DD/ACT/LA. The deadline for concept notes is 13 March 2017. Link
Suranaree University of Technology — PhD Scholarships in Agricultural Technology for ASEAN Countries 2017
Suranaree University of Technology in Thailand offers PhD scholarships in various fields of studies, including in Agricultural Technology. Eligibility for scholarships extends to nationals of ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam). Applicants must old a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field, and be proficient in English. The application deadline is 31 January 2017. Link
U.S. Agency for International Development — Fomenting Agriculture Incomes and Resilience in Guatemala
USAID announces FAIR (“Fomenting Agriculture Incomes and Resilience”) as a five-year program to reduce poverty and chronic malnutrition by increasing agricultural incomes and improving resilience of small farmers and their families in five departments of Guatemala’s Western Highlands. Subject to funding availability, USAID intends to provide US$60 million for the program over five years. Eligibility for funding is restricted to local organizations in Guatemala. Funding Opportunity RFA-520-17-000001. The closing date for applications is 15 February 2017. Link
French Institute for Development Research — Research on Plant Biodiversity
Funded by IRD in collaboration with several other French organizations, the program “Sud Expert Plantes Développement Durable” (SEP2D) aims to reinforce scientific research on plant biodiversity in 22 tropical countries. The eligible countries are distributed across West Africa; Central Africa; Indian Ocean; and Southeast Asia. Research themes in SEP2D are forest biodiversity; mitigation of mining activities; commercial applications of plant biodiversity; and agro-biodiversity. In each participating country, SEP2D will be managed by an academic institution which will build a consortium of national and/or international partners. Examples of partners include private companies, NGOs, farmers’ associations, financial institutions, and similar. Funding is up to €35 thousand for national projects, and up to €75 thousand for regional and international projects. The application deadline is 31 December 2016. Link
French Institute for Development Research — Support for International Research Teams 2017
The IRD announces funding to support multidisciplinary international teams (laboratoires mixtes internationaux, LMI) to undertake research that corresponds to IRD’s thematic priorities. These priorities include agronomy and biodiversity; bio-invasions and climate change; sustainable urban development; the ocean-climate interface; micro-biomes in agro-ecosystems; management of water resources; coastal and marine management; and others. Several themes have geographical priorities. IRD will annually provide each LMI with €40 thousand. The deadline for letters of intent is 31 January 2017. Link